The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has the winner of the 2023 governorship election held in the state on Saturday.
Sanwo-Olu scored 762,134 to defeat both the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidates, Rhodes-Vivour, and his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran popularly known as Jandor – they polled 312,329 and 62,449 respectively.
The incumbent governor polled the highest votes in Ikeja, Apapa, Badagry, Lagos Island, Epe, Agege, Ibeju-lekki, Kosofe, Surulere, and Somolu.
Other areas, where the governor won big include Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos Mainland, Alimosho, Ojo, Ikorodu, Mushin and Oshodi.
Declaring Sanwo-Olu the winner of the election, the INEC’s state Collation/Returning Officer, and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, (FUTA), Ondo State, Prof Adenike Temidayo Oladiji said: “I declare that the governorship candidate of the APC, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, having satisfied the requirements of the law by scoring 25 per cent in two-third of the local government areas in the state, and also scoring the highest number of valid votes cast is hereby declared winner and returned elected.” Reacting to the result, Chairman of the LP in Lagos State and LP agent at the collation centre, Mrs. Dayo Ekong, rejected the result. While reciting the second stanza of the national anthem, she described the whole electoral process as a sham, saying, “This is an election that is laced with violence, and people were massively disenfranchised. The INEC has lowered its standard and Labour Party totally rejects the results.” Bellow are break down of the final results: A – 800 AA- 904 AAC – 627 ADC- 6078 ADP- 2833 APC- 762134 APL – 884 APP- 259 BP- 616 LP- 312329 NNPP- 1583 NRM- 340 PDP- 62449 SDP- 1746 YPP- 461 ZLP- 1635
The Labour Party candidate in the Lagos State governorship election, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has been defeated in is polling unit by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress.
Sanwo-Olu is the incumbent Governor of the state.
The Punch reports that Rhodes-Vivour managed to poll 18 votes while Sanwo-Olu won with 29 votes.
Another contestant in the election, the Peoples Democratic Party’s Olajide Adeniran, popularly known as Jandor, polled two votes.
One vote was counted as void at polling unit 01 at Oshifila Street, Anifowoshe, Ikeja.
In the House of Assembly election at the polling unit, the APC polled 34, LP 15, while PDP polled one vote.
Less than 48 hours to the 2023 governorship election, leader of Lagos chapter of Labour Party have endorsed the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who will be contesting on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), for a second term, abandoning the LP flagbearer, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
They said that their decision to endorse Sanwo-Olu over their party’s authentic governorship candidate was due to the ill-treatment they received from Rhodes-Vivour who was handed the LP ticket.
The leaders stressed that they were not leaving the party but the step was taken to ensure that Labour Party does not make the same mistake that was made during the primaries held recently, and to ensure that the youths were not led into mistakes that could affect their future in the state.
The dozens of members led by the former governorship aspirant, Moshood Salvador, endorsed the APC gubernatorial standard-bearer on Thursday during a meeting held in the Surulere Local Government area of the state.
Aside from Salvador, other leaders of the party that have decided to collapse their structure or Sanwo-Olu were the Director General, Lagos LP campaign council, Shola Taiwo; Deputy Director-General for Lagos East LP campaign council, Akinwande Saheed; House of Representatives candidate for Alimosho Federal Constituency, Oyindolapo Omotayo.
Announcing the leaders’ decision before the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, the LP former governorship aspirant, Salvador, who described the LP candidate as one too young to lead over 20 million people, said that Lagos is too big to go into the hands of rookies.
He stated that residents should vote for those that would do the needful for the development and growth of Lagos considering that the commercial capital o the country remains a big fish that must not fall into wrong hands.
According to him, the economy and well-being of Lagosians cannot be toyed with saying candidates should be voted for based on merit and credibility.
“Lagos must not be given to inexperienced leaders to toy with. Lagos is important to all Nigerians. We are voting for a candidate that has character and quality regardless of party affiliation. And this is the doctrine that we were taught and complying with the directives of the Presidential candidate, Peter Obi”, he added.
He accused the Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour has no regard for the leadership of the party and could allegedly be a disaster if given an opportunity to rule Lagos.
Salvador assured that APC will receive maximum votes from over 350,000 members of the Labour Party during the March 18th Elections.
Accepting their endorsement, Hamzat, who appealed to residents of the state to pardon their mistakes, assured that they would surely make amends and introduce policies that could address the peoples’ needs.
.The deputy governor also urged the youths to upgrade their skills to boost their capacity to contribute their quota to the socioeconomic development of the country.
According to him, it will not augur well to vote people into office based on emotions and the challenge before the nation and many others is the scarcity of resources.
SPORT COMMUNITY DECLARES TOTAL SUPPORT FOR TINUBU/ SHETTIMA PRESIDENCY AND SANWO-OLU/ HAMZAT SECOND TERM
The Lagos State Sport Community comprising 48 different sports had their representatives converged on 58/60 Oduduwa Cresent GRA, Ikeja the headquarters of Independent Campaign Council for Tinubu/Shettima and Sanwo-Olu/ Hamzat to declare their total support for the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and to also endorse the return-ticket bid of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
The Sport Community in Lagos being an umbrella body that covers both active and retired sport personnel deemed it fit to make the declaration of the members’ support for an Asiwaju presidency owing to his intrest in the sports in Lagos State and beyond.
The Director General of the Independent Campaign Council (ICC), Mr. Tayo Ayinde expressed his joy for seen so many ex- internationals and legends in the World of sports of gathering to pledge their support to Tinubu/ Shettima Presidency and Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat re-election.
He went memory lane on his days as a footballer when he was in secondary school. He reiterated the stand of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as regards sport development.
Mr. Tayo Ayinde rolled out Mr. Governor’s achievements in Sports development especially the 9 Stadia being built concurrently across the State. He assured them that the government of Lagos State will continue to support sporting activities maximally.
The Director of Sports for ICC, Mr. Toyin Gafaar whose directorate championed the event called some of the sporting legends to address the gathering.
Stepping forward, an ex-international football legend Mr. Waheed Akanni who represented all ex-footballers was pragmatic in his speech. He said the plan is to use football to promote the re-election bid of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and the candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Nigerian president.
He went on to announce that a novelty match is scheduled for 13th February to promote the All Progressives Congress across board.
Mr. Olumide Oyedeji, an Olympian and an African best of the Basket Ball enclave took turn to eulogized the great virtues of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu without mincing words on his support and his colleagues for Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
The supporters club led by Ambassador Kemi Ogunfura and her sports supporters group came in large number to pledge their unflinching support to Tinubu/shettima Presidency and Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat re-election as governor of Lagos sate.
In the same vein, Hon. Bose Kafo added her voice of commitment to the pursuant of the fulfillment of the Asiwaju’s mandate. She emphasized that paralytics in sport are also ready to deliver their votes.
Dignitaries that graced the event were Mr. Tayo Ayinde, the Director General of ICC, Cardinal James Omolaja Odunmbaku (Chairman of ICC), Hon. Sikiru Alabi Macfoy (Vice Chairman of the ICC), Mr. Kola Peregrino (Deputy Director General ICC), Prince Bayo Osiyemi (Director of Traditional Affairs), Prince Abiodun Abu (Director of Volunteers), Comrade Ayo Adewale (Director of Outdoor Promotion and Management), Hon. Ladi Balogun (Director of Grassroots Engagement), Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN (Director of Legal Affairs).
Mr. Waheed Akanni Ex- International, Mr. Olumide Oyedeji, Comrade Olusesan Daini (Director of Media), Mrs. Folashade Onajobi (Director of Women Mobilization), Mr. Jubril Gawat, (Director of New Media) Mrs. Kenny Saint Brown (Director of Communication and Strategy), Mrs. Funke Moore (Deputy Director of Publicity) among others.
Signed:
Tinubu/Shettima and Sanwo/Hamzat Independent Campaign Council (ICC)
Sanwo-Olu Gets Clean Bill to Run for Second Term, As Tinubu Raises Governor’s Hand in Endorsement
…Lagos APC Stakeholders Meet, Unanimously Approve Governor’s Re-Election …Asiwaju Paid for My Second Term Nomination Form – Says Gov.
Will Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu be the standard bearer of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 gubernatorial election in Lagos State? This question has finally been answered by an open endorsement of the Governor and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, for a second term in office by the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the entire members of the Lagos State chapter of the APC.
At the party’s stakeholders’ meeting held at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa on Friday, Tinubu physically raised the hands of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat in approval of their bid to continue in office beyond 2023.
This development puts all rumours surrounding the recent endorsement of Sanwo-Olu for a second term by the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) to rest.
Tinubu’s endorsement of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat has also laid to rest the speculations in some quarters, especially some online news platforms few days ago that the APC National Leader dumped Sanwo-Olu for a former Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Civil Service, Mustapha Olorunfemi.
Tinubu said the Governor and his deputy have built an unbreakable team to raise the bar of excellence in governance and service delivery in the State, with visible achievements and progress to show for their efforts. This, the APC National Leader said, earned the duo the opportunity to return for second term, and not a blank endorsement which many politicians sought.
Tinubu, a leading presidential hopeful on APC platform, said Lagos under Sanwo-Olu’s leadership had remained a State of pride for residents and other Nigerians who crave responsive governance and progress.
He said: “We have a brilliant Governor at the helm of affairs, who is supported by his deputy to build an unbreakable team that has raised the bar of excellence in governance in Lagos. I specially thank Dr. Hamzat, who has been a very good assistant and a pillar of support to the Governor.
“Sanwo-Olu with Hamzat has raised an impenetrable team. I commend both of you and all members of the cabinet. You have all done wonderfully well and I must say that I am very proud of you.”
The raising of Sanwo-Olu’s hand by Tinubu was preceded by a motion moved by the Vice Chairman of APC (Lagos East), Hon. Saidat Oladunjoye, for open endorsement of the Governor by the party’s leadership. The motion was seconded by a member representing Alimosho Constituency in the House of Assembly, Hon. Kehinde Joseph. This attracted a resounding approval from all stakeholders in attendance.
The APC National Leader, however, said the party in Lagos would not prevent any aspirant vying for any position from testing their strength at the primaries, noting that all candidates that would be fielded by the party across elective positions must go through a delegate electoral system.
Tinubu said: “Aspirants who are showing interest in positions from House of Assembly to governorship, go and get your forms; you are going to contest primaries. There will not be any favouritism in the primaries.
“We want you to contest and test your popularity. Nobody will ask to step down for another aspirant. Let all aspirants mobilise their supporters; if you win, you win. If you lose, there will not be a refund of the nomination form.”
Tinubu charged all leaders holding the party structure at the local government level to rise above their challenges and work with the community leaders in their respective councils to mobilise for the APC victory at the general election.
He directed the resolution of all grievances and disagreements causing disaffection among party members ahead of the primaries, stressing that division would not bring any good to party candidates standing for election.
Speaking during the stakeholders meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that Asiwaju Tinubu paid the N50million fee for APC Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for his second term bid.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is a generous man and he is doing a lot for people. He paid for my APC nomination and expression of interest forms to run for the second term,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu expressed appreciation to Tinubu for his guidance and thanked the GAC leaders for standing by his government despite personal attacks they suffered from those the Governor referred to as “wayward children” who turned against the party elders after benefiting from them.
The Governor said it was time for the party members across levels to foster cohesion and work for the APC’s success in the State and at the federal level.
Sanwo-Olu, who described Tinubu as a “priceless symbol” of Lagos, said all hands must be on deck to ensure the State was not robbed of the presidential ticket of APC at the national primaries of the party.
He said: “It is time to come together as determined party members and show genuine love towards our National Leader, who is our priceless symbol and pride in Lagos. We are taking him national and we must ensure his house is fully united.“
The stakeholders’ meeting, convened at the instance of Tinubu, was attended by Lagos APC chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, party executive members, GAC members, senatorial leaders and stalwarts across all local councils in the State.
